Hide Article Text (OCR)
Ex-local pastor, Rev. James T. Jones, now leads 10,000-member church in CaliforniaSAN FRANCISCO , CA~A native of Indiana, the Rev. James Thurman Jones, 43, of Redwood Valley,California, a rural community abut 120 miles north of here, wa honored late last spring, or named one of the 100 most outstanding clergymen in the nation by “Religion in American Life, an interfaithorganization.A native of Crete in Randolph County, Indiana, Pastor ‘Jones has been in California alittle longer than a decade. In that decade his church, the Peoples Temple of the Disciples of* Christ denomination has grown from a meeting place in the garage of his nome to 10,500 active members including congregations in Redwood Valley, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.One of the church’s associate ministers, Michael J. Prokes, formerly bureau chief for the CBS affiliate in Sacramento, concerning the work of the church observed, “Peoples Temple is made up of thousands of people from every racial, religious and socio-economic background, unted by a vision of brotherhood among all human beings.“Since establishing this church 10 years ago. Pastor Jones has achieved tremendous things in the humanitarian field.“As a bureau chief for the CBS television affiliate in Sacramento, I came to do a film documentary...and become soimpressed with the program that I resigned my position tojoin as a full-time staff worker.Another view is offered by Wade Rubick of Indianapolis, Ind., general counsel of the 1.5 million member Disciples ofChrist denomination. Rubick speaking of Peoples Temple stated: “From my numerous contacts with members and the staff of the church, I can say, they are the most committed and dedicated group of people I have seen in any church anywhere. Some of the major projects of Peoples Temple include care homes for orphans and senior citizens, a 40-acre ranch for retarded children, convalescent, centers, collegeREV. JAMES T. JONES...He and Family in ’62dormitories and refuge shelter for animals.One of the most dramatic programs of the church is the planting of 30 different crops on several thousand acres at the Venezuelan border in South America. The church also acquired a ship the “Maceline, with a cpacity of a 50-ton cargo. It is used to transport food produce in the church’s agricultural mission to critical hungerregions.How are the various projects accomplished? Contributions to a church with a congregation ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 are considerable. The church sponsors bake sales to concession stands at baseball games.Perhaps the most important is the contributions of church members, from volunteer labor to the counsel of lawyers, doctors and numerous ordained ministers who have joined thecongregation.Subsequent to his graduation from high school in Richmond, Ind., with high school, he took education courses at Indiana University,later transferring to Butler University, Indianapolis. Before graduating from Butler University, age 21, hebecame a student pastor in Indianapolis.H i s organizational ability became to manifest itself. He launched a campaign amongmembers of both Roman Catholic and Protestant denomination to build a recreation center for children on the southside of Indianapolis.,In later years in Indianapolis, he formed the first Peoples Temple and more than 100 members followed him to California, when he decided to move there to organize a church in a more progressive area, his wife Mrs. Marceline Baldwin Jones, stated, for the sake of his family.While still in Indianapolis, hewas named the first director of the Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights. It was also in the early 1960’s that he and Mrs. Jones spent two years in South America as missionaries. Mrs. Jones is a registered nurse and a graduate of Reid’s School of Nursing, Richnmond, Ind. Presently she is a health care evaluator for the California Department of Health.An officially ordained minister of the Disciples of Christ, long before he left. Pastor Jones combined in his early years in California the pastor-ing of a new church, public school teachiung, and a business career.But his goal was to establish a congregation “of principled persons who would practice literally the words of Jesus, in Mathew, 25 - to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and to visit the sick and imprisoned, a church leaflet recalls.Pastor and Mrs. Jones have seven children, six of them adopted from impoverished and different racial or ethnic backgrounds. Another adopted child was killed in an auto accident before the family left Indiana.The San Francisco Chronicalreviewing activities of the PeoplesTemple stated: “This church is best known for its social works which include housing and feeding senior citizens and medical convalescents, maintain a home for rtarded boys, rehabilitating youthful drug users, and assisting non-members as well as members of the faith through college and legal difficulties.Pastor Jones’ mother, Mrs.James (Lynetta) Jones tells a compelling story of Pastor Jim Jones when he was six years. He (Jim Jones) originated or was born in a background of the noble and abiding humanitaria-nism of (Quakers( Friends in Indiana. According to Mrs. Jones, as the child, Jim questioned a man, a stranger, the man answered finally:“I don’t have a friend in theworld. I’m about ready to giveup.The boy then said firmly: “What do you mean mister? God’s your friend and I’m your friend. And mom will help you get a job.Mrs. Jones did just that and a reporter for The Palladium-Item, (Richmond, Ind.), Wil-•liam B. Treml, reporting or writing the story said:“The rejuvenation of a man who had lost hope, marked a milestohe in Jim Jones’ life. His love for humanity and his desire to help he unfortunate was eventually to lead him to the ministry.”There is no way the amiable, veteran of Richmond, Ind., reporting in 1953 could have realized how prophetic his words were.Wilberforce observes 120th anniversaryWILBERFORCE, 0.-The Founders’ Day Convocation held here Feb. 19 marked the 120th anniversary of Wilberforce University, the nation’s first college founded by and for black people in 1856.The major address was delivered by the Rev. John Hurst Adams, Bishop of the Tenth Episcopal District,' AME Church. He is a former Professor at Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce university and was also president of Paul Quinn College, Waco,# Texas. He is a graduate of John S. Smith College and Boston University. He was granted the Honoary Degree of Doctor of Laws during the Convocation.
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis Recorder
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Sat, Mar 06, 1976
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 07 Apr 2019
Other Publications Near Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis Daily Sentinel
Indianapolis Republican Convention
Indianapolis Daily State Sentinel
Indianapolis Indiana Democrat
Indianapolis Press
